I posted about the original story a while ago: Katie's nursing dream is now a law | freep.com | Detroit Free Press
Cathy Viger sat in the front row fighting back tears as Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed a bill Thursday morning named in honor of Viger's daughter, Katie.
The Katie Viger Law will allow the state's Department of Community Health to issue an honorary license to an individual -- living or deceased -- who has met all of the requirements of becoming a licensed nurse but is unable to take the licensing examination because of an advanced illness.
"It would have floored Katie to have her name on this bill," Cathy Viger said of her daughter, who died Feb. 18 from brain cancer. "Everyone was so unbelievably kind and caring. It was wonderful. There was a lot of joy and happiness in the ceremony."
Katie Viger's dream was to become a registered nurse. The 23-year-old from Trenton graduated from Henry Ford Community College, but she was too sick to take the final test.
Friends and relatives pushed for her to get an honorary license before she died. The license was granted Feb. 12 -- before the bill was official -- because there was strong bipartisan support and because her health was rapidly declining.
Now, if the situation arises again, the department can grant an honorary license more easily.
"After the governor signed the bill, I embraced Katie's mom and we both had tears in our eyes," said Cathy Wakefield, Viger's college instructor. Wakefield led the effort to change the law. "It was wonderful. It was so emotional."
Original story is here: http://www.ultimatenurse.com/forum/f6/honorary-license-recipient-dies-23-a-82362/
Cathy Viger sat in the front row fighting back tears as Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed a bill Thursday morning named in honor of Viger's daughter, Katie.
The Katie Viger Law will allow the state's Department of Community Health to issue an honorary license to an individual -- living or deceased -- who has met all of the requirements of becoming a licensed nurse but is unable to take the licensing examination because of an advanced illness.
"It would have floored Katie to have her name on this bill," Cathy Viger said of her daughter, who died Feb. 18 from brain cancer. "Everyone was so unbelievably kind and caring. It was wonderful. There was a lot of joy and happiness in the ceremony."
Katie Viger's dream was to become a registered nurse. The 23-year-old from Trenton graduated from Henry Ford Community College, but she was too sick to take the final test.
Friends and relatives pushed for her to get an honorary license before she died. The license was granted Feb. 12 -- before the bill was official -- because there was strong bipartisan support and because her health was rapidly declining.
Now, if the situation arises again, the department can grant an honorary license more easily.
"After the governor signed the bill, I embraced Katie's mom and we both had tears in our eyes," said Cathy Wakefield, Viger's college instructor. Wakefield led the effort to change the law. "It was wonderful. It was so emotional."
Original story is here: http://www.ultimatenurse.com/forum/f6/honorary-license-recipient-dies-23-a-82362/